STARTER: What are some things you learned last week that made you think more deeply about the big questions of the project? What new ideas did you add to your web of understanding life on Earth? OR What new questions or confusions did you have?
Pop-up Socratic Seminar to make up for lost time!
Read: “The Meaning of Life in a Formula” by Michael Shermer, the “Skeptic”
Annotate! Think about the idea of “Non-overlapping Magisteria” and whether you agree or disagree!
Stephen Jay Gould's "NOMA" Non-overlapping Magisteria
Read Gould's original article (linked) for more depth of information!
Non-overlapping magisteria (NOMA) is the view advocated by Stephen Jay Gould that science and religion each represent different areas of inquiry, fact vs. values, so there is a difference between the "nets" [1] over which they have "a legitimate magisterium, or domain of teaching authority," and the two domains do not overlap.[2] He suggests, with examples, that "NOMA enjoys strong and fully explicit support, even from the primary cultural stereotypes of hard-line traditionalism" and that it is "a sound position of general consensus, established by long struggle among people of goodwill in both magisteria."[1] Still, there continues to be disagreement over where the boundaries between the two magisteria should be.[3]
Quote from Gould: "Our failure to discern a universal good does not record any lack of insight or ingenuity, but merely demonstrates that nature contains no moral messages framed in human terms. Morality is a subject for philosophers, theologians, students of the humanities, indeed for all thinking people. The answers will not be read passively from nature; they do not, and cannot, arise from the data of science. The factual state of the world does not teach us how we, with our powers for good and evil, should alter or preserve it in the most ethical manner"
Review last week’s readings, annotations, art, journal entries
What big ideas and questions shook out of last week’s content?
Come up with a question that you think fits in today’s discussion and write it on the board!
Discussion Questions:
Where did Steve leave us, philosophically speaking? How does thinking about the size and scope of the universe and time itself complicate the questions?
What about God and the Origin of the Universe?
What is the best argument for the existence of God?
Who created who: God or man?
How does divinity give human life meaning?
What is the alternative to God?
Are religion and science inherently incompatible?
What do you think about the idea of Non-overlapping Magisteria?
YOUR QUESTIONS
JOURNAL #5:
“Pop-up” Seminar Reflection
How did the discussion today go for you? Reflect on your level of engagement and participation.
Write one paragraph that synthesizes some of the thinking you did on the topics of the seminar today.
OR IF ABSENT: Remote Content Reflection on NOMA and the ideas of the past week
How are you grappling with the content of the last week or so? OR Where did Steve’s lesson hit you, philosophical speaking?
Reflect on the ideas discussed in the reading, “The Meaning of Life in a Formula.” What do you think about the idea of Non-overlapping magisteria? In your view, are religion and science compatible or at odds? Why?
I WILL BE COLLECTING PHYSICAL JOURNALS TOMORROW!